Self-adjusting socket wrench



Nov. 15, 1966 F.. D. svi-:NSON

SELF-ADJUSTING SOCKET WRENCH 2 Sheet$-Sheet l Filed June 30, 1965 Nov. 15, 1966 F.` D, SVENSON 3,285,106

SELF-ADJUSTING SOCKET WRENCH Fild June 50, 1965 2 Sheetsheet Z United States Patent O 3,285,106 SELF-ADJUSTING SOCKET WRENCH Fred D. Svenson, R.F.D. 1, Box 175, Sanbornton, N.H. Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,309 7 Claims. (Cl. 81-185) The present invention relates lto a tool of the socket type that is self-adjusting to t any one of a series of fastener parts of diiferent sizes 'but -of the same equilateral shape.

Where, for example, a workman must tighten or release a plurality of nuts of the same shape but of different sizes, a single tool that is self-adjusting to tit any one of them would eliminate the inconveniences and disadvantages that attend the use of a number of separate tools.

In Letters Patent No. 2,875,660, there is shown such a tool, the tool comprising a plurality of slidably nested sockets of the same cross sectional shape but with each dimensioned -to it a particular one of a series of differently sized but similarly shaped fastener parts. The sockets have closed ends and the tool includes a stem to which the closed end of the largest socket is anchored and which slidably extends through the closed ends of the other sockets to slidably support them. The stem is provided with a plurality of seats, one for each socket and engageable by the end wall to limit the movement of that socket towards the free end of the xed or anchored socket. The tool also includes a plurality of compression springs yieldably maintaining each slidable socket against its seat and the seats are so spaced and the socket length so selected that, when the sockets are seated, their free ends are substantially co-planar.

In use, such a tool is placed against a nut or a bolt head and the sockets tha-t are undersized are pushed inwardly with the correctly sized socket -tting thereon. While this self-adjusting ability avoids the use of a plurality of tools or of a manually adjustable tool, one feature limits acceptance and that feature is that the springs serving to seat the sockets are operative to expel a fastener part that would otherwise be retained within the tool and that must usually be retrieved.

The general objective of the present invention is to provide tools ofthe type under discussion in which any socket may be held in its unseated position against the action of the compression spring that would otherwise seat it, when removed from the work, and expel a socketed fastener part.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained lby providing the tool with a holding member to which the largest socket is anchored and which axially receives and rotatably supports the stern for rotation between a position in which the sockets slidably mounted thereon are free to be seated by their springs and a position holding them unseated against 4the seating action thereof. This objective is attained by providing the stem and the closed ends of the slidable sockets with portions tha-t, when any socket has been unseated, are brought into holding engagement by such turning of the stem.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which this and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned side elevation of a tool in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a like view of the stem and the stemholding member,

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, fragmentary section, on an increased scale, of the stem, stem-holding member, and the sockets, the sockets being in their seated position.

FIGURE 4 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 4 4 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but with the tool fitted t-o a -bolt head and certain of lthe sockets unseated,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a stem in accordance with another embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 7 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 7-7 of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE -8 is a fragmentary, longitudinally sectioned view of a tool showing the sockets, the stem, and the stem-holding member, the sockets being in their seated position,

FIGURE 9 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 9-9 of FIGURE 8,

FIGURE l0 is a view similar to FIGURE l8 but with the tool'fitted to a bolt head and with certain sockets being unseated and the stem turned into a position holding them unseated, and

FIGURE 1l is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 11-11 of FIGURE 10.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIG- URES 1-5, there are shown a set of slidably nested, closedend sockets 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 of hexagonal section and with their lengths increasing substantially as their cross sectional area increases. Each socket has an axial hole in its end wall, each end wall and its hole being distinguished by the sutix additions A and B, respectively, to the reference numeral appropriate for that socket. The holes in the sockets 21, 22, v23, and 24 are notched in the manner of the hole 24B as shown in FIGURE 4.

The outermost socket 20 has its end wall 20A anchored as at 25 to one end of a tubular holding member 26 having a handle 27 fixed on its other end. The handle 27 is provided with an axial bore 218 intersected -by a transverse slot 29.

A stern 30` is rotatably supported by the holding member 26 and extends freely into the bore 28 and has a pin 31 transversely threaded therein, the pin 31 extending outwardly -through the slot 29 to enable the stem 30 to be manually turned within the limits determined by the length of the slot l29. The stem 30 has a series of axially spaced, annular grooves 3.2, see FIGURE 2, each groove 32 receiving and holding a seat 33, the seats 33 being shown as conventional C-rings. The stern 30 extends through the holes in the closed ends of the sockets 21, 22, 23, and 24 in slidable support thereof and each seat 33 is engageable by the closed end of a respective one of the slidable sockets to limit the extent to which that socket may be slid towards the free end of the fixed, outermost socket 20 The lengths of the sockets 21, 22, 23, and 24 are such that, when seated, their free open ends are all substantially in the same plane.

The grooves 32 are shown as equally spaced from each other. There is, accordingly, a chamber 34 between each socket and the next ysmaller socket. Compression springs 35 are provided one in each chamber 34, yieldably to urge each slidable socket against its seat, each compresion spring 35 engaging the end wall of a ipartioular slidable socket and being backed by the seat 33 `for the next larger socket.

In FIGURE 5, there is shown a bolt 36 interconnecting the members `37 `and `38 and having a hexagonal head 39 and having a similarly shaped but somewhat smaller nut 40 threaded thereon. The socket 22 is dimensioned to iit the bolt head 36 while the socket 23 is dimensioned to fit the nut 40. In use, the tool is placed with the open socket ends against the bolt head 39. Either then or `as the tool is turned, any socket that is undersized yields to admit the bolt head 39 into the appropriately sized socket, in this case, the socket '22, enabling the bolt to be turned and freed. Assuming that the nut 40 is to be similarly engaged, the tool would be used in the same manner. The nut 40, when detached, would be Within the socket 23 but, when the tool was moved away from the work, the nut would 'be expelled by the action of any spring backing any unseated socket.

For that reason, the stem 30 is provided with a screw thread portion 41 in' each chamber 34. Each screw thread portion 41 is of an arcuate extent such that, when the stem-turning pin 31 is in position illustrated by FIGURES land 3, it Will pass freely through the notch off the hole in the end wall of each slidable socket. When, however, the tool has been applied to a Ifastener part, any socket that has been unseated lthen has its notch straddling the appropriate thread portion 41. if the stem 30 is now turned, 60 for example, to the other limit of the slot, the end wall of any unseated socket is engaged by a thread port-ion 41 thereby to hold that socket against the seating action of the associated spring until the stem 30 has lbeen turned in the opposite direction to the appropriate extent. The turning of the stern 30 to hold any unseated socket has no effect on any seated socket as the thread portion 41 for holding the sockets 21, 22, and 23 terminates above the closed ends thereof. It will be noted that the thread port-ion 41 for holding the socket 24 has a key-like extension 41A extending Vdownwardly into the notch of the hole 24B into engagement with the leading edge thereof thus to prevent the stem 3|1 from being turned unless the socket 24 is unseated.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGURES 6-11, there is a set of slidably nested, closed end sockets `50, 51, 52, 53, and 54 which may be, as shown, identical to the sockets 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 of the embodiment of the invention illustrated lby FIG- URES 1-5. Each of these Ihas an axial hole in its end lwall and the end walls and their holes being distinguished by the suiix additions A and B respectively, to the appropriate socket-identifying reference numeral.

The socket 50 has a tubular holding member 55 protruding from its end wall 50A with its end anchored in a handle 56 having an axial bore 57 intersected by a transverse slot 58 beyond the attached end of the holding member 55. A stem 59, shown as of at stock but having its upper end Within a cylindrical rnember 59A rotatably tted within the bore 57, has a transverse pin 60 pro- .tnuding outwardly through the slot 58 for manual engagement thereby to enable the stem 59 to be turned within the limits of the slots, say, through an arc of 60.

The stem 59 extends axially of the socket 50 and has a series of axially spaced seats `61 and these may be C-rings caught in transversely aligned notches 62 in the edges of the stem 59, see FIGURE `6. Along one stem edge there is .a series of outwardly and downwardly inclined shoulders 63, the shoulders for the sockets 51, 52, and 513 terminating close to lbut above the next lower seat 61 while the shoulder 63 for the socket 54 is shown as having an extension 63A. The holes in the end walls of the sockets 51, 52, 53, and 54 are shown as in the form of radial slots dimensioned to receive the shoulders 63 so that those sockets may be slidably supported by the stem 59 for movement into and out of engagement with their seats 6-1, see FIGURES 9 and l1. The lengths of the sockets 51, 52, 53, and 54 are such that, when seated, their free ends are all substantially in the same plane and chambers 64 of approximately the same axial extent are p-rovided. Compression springs 65 are provided, one for each of the slidable sockets. Each spring y65 engages the closed end of a slidable socket and is backed by the seat 61 for the next langer socket.

The tool detailed in FIGURES 6-11 is used in the same manner as the tool illustrated by FIGURES 1-5. As'wi-ll be apparent from FIGURE l0, when the tool is applied to a fastener part such as the bolt head 39 with the stem 59 positioned as illustrated by FIGURE 48, undersized sockets are .forced inwardly against the action of their springs 65. By shifting the pin 60 to the other end of its slot 58, the stern 59 is turned to bring a 4 shoulder 63 `under any unseated socket thereby to hold it against the action of the springs 65, see FIGURES 9 and ll. It has been noted that the shoulder 63 for the socket S4 has an extension 63A. The purpose of the extension 63A is to engage the edge of the slot 54B to prevent the stem 59 Ifrom being turned until the socket 54 has been unseated.

It will thus be apparent that tools in accordance with the invention are Well adapted to meet all requirements of use since the ejectin'g action of the socket-seating springs may be prevented by the user.

I claim:

1. A tool for use in tightening and releasing any one of a series of fastener parts of the same equilateral shape but of diterent sizes, said tool comprising a set of closed end sockets of said equilateral shape slidably nested one within the other, each socket -being for a particular one of said different sizes and being substantially longer than -any socket slidable within it, .a tool holding member to which the closed end of the outermost socket is anchored, a stem rotatablein said member and extending through the closed ends of the other sockets in slidable support thereof, a plurality of seats spaced length- Wise of said stem, one vfor each socket and engageable by the end Wall thereof to limit its movement towards the free end of said anchored socket, compression springs,

vone for each socket for yieldably maintaining each socket against its seat, each spring engaging the closed end of that socket and backed by the seat of the next larger socket, the difference in length of said sockets being such that the free ends of said slidable sockets, when seated, are substantially in the plane of the free end of the anchored socket, and said stem and each of said slidable sockets including portions interengaging to hold said socket, when unseated, against the seating action of its spring, when said stem has been turned relative to said holding member to a predetermined extent.

2. A tool for use in tightening and releasing any one of a series of fastener parts of the-same equilateral shape but of different sizes, said tool comprising ya set of closed end sockets of said equilateral shape slidably nested one within the other, each socket being for a particular one 0f said different sizes and being substantially longer than any socket slidable within it, a tool holding member to which the closed end of the outermost socket is anchored, a stern rotatable in said member and extending through the closed ends of the other sockets in slidable support thereof, a plurality of seats spaced lengthwise of said stem, one for each socket and engageable by the end wall thereof to limit its movement towards the free end of said anchored socket, compression springs, one for each socket yfor yieldably maintaining each 'socket against its seat, each spring engaging the closed end of that socket and backed by the seat of the next larger socket, the difference in length of said sockets being such that the 'free ends of said slidable sockets, when seated, lare substantially in the plane of the free end of the anchored socket, said stern and each of said slidable sockets including portions interengaging to hold said socket, when unseated, against the seating action of its spring, when said stem has been turned relative to said holding member to a predetermined extent, and means locking said stem to the smallest socket against being tu-rned when said lowest socket is seated.

3. A tool for use in tightening and releasing any one of a series of fastener parts of the same equilateral shape but of diiferent sizes, said tool comprising a set of closed end sockets of said equilateral shape slidably nested one within the other, each socket being for a particular one of said different sizes, @being substantially longer than any socket slidable within it, and having a hole through its closed end, a tool holding member to which the closed end of the outermost socket is anchored, a stem rotatable in said member and extending through the holes in the socket end Walls of the other sockets in slidable support thereof, means to turn said stern from a predeterminedv position, a plurality of seats spaced lengthwise of said stem, one for each socket and engageable by the end wall thereof to limit its movement towards the free end of said anchored socket, compression springs, one :for each socket for yieldably maintaining each socket against its seat, each spring engaging the closed end of that socket and backed by the seat of the next larger socket, the difference in length of said sockets being such that the 4free ends of said slid-able sockets, when seated, are substantially in the plane of the free end of the anchored socket, said stern having outwardly disposed portions, one for each slidable socket and spaced above the closed end thereof when that socket is seated, the holes in the closed ends of the slidable sockets slidably receiving said stern portion when said stern is in said predetermined position and providing a shoulder portion, and each of said stem portions being inclined to engage with and support the shoulder of the subjacent socket when unseated and when said stem has been turned relative to said holding 4member from said predetermined position.

4. A tool for use in tightening and releasing any one of a series of lfastener parts of the same equilateral shape but of different sizes, said tool comprising a set of closed end sockets .of said equilateral shape slidably nested one within the other, each socket being for a particular one of said different sizes, being substantially longer than any socket slidable within it, and having a hole through its closed end, a tool holding -member to which the closed end of the outermost socket is anchored, a stem rotatable in said member and extending through the holes in the socket end walls of the other sockets in slidable support thereof, means t-o turn said stern from a predetermined position, a plurality of seats spaced lengthwise of Isaid stem, one 'for each socket and engageable by the end wall thereof to limit its movement towards the -free end of said anchored socket, compression springs, lone for each socket for yieldably maintaining each socket against its seat, each spring engaging the closed end of that socket and backed by the seat of the next larger socket, the dif- `ference in length of said sockets bein-g Vsuch that the -free ends of said slidable sockets, when seated, are substantially in the plane of the ree end of the anchored socket, said stern having outwardly disposed portions, lone for each slidable socket and spaced above the closed end thereof when that socket is seated, the holes inthe closed ends of the slidable sockets slidably receiving said stem portion when said stem is in said predetermined position and providing a shoulder portion, and each of said stem portions being inclined to engage with and support the shoulder of the subjacent socket when unseated Iand when said stern has been turned relative to said holding member from said predetermined position, and the :stem portion for the smallest socket including an extension extending as a key through the hole in said smallest socket, when seated.

5. The tool of claim 3 in which each stern portion is disposed as a thread.

`6. The tool of claim 3 in which each stem portion is -outwardly and downwardly inclined.

7. The tool of clai-m 3 in which the stern is of flat stock and each stem portion is a shoulder at one edge thereof and is outwardly and downwardly inclined.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,097 5/1944 vConner 81-185 2,822,714 2/1958 Paparelli 81-185 2,875,660 3/1959 Svenson 81-185 3,127,798 4/1964 Gol 81--185 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

M. S. MEHR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOOL FOR USE IN TIGHTENING AND RELEASING ANY ONE OF A SERIES OF FASTENER PARTS OF THE SAME EQUILATERAL SHAPE BUT OF DIFFERENT SIZES, SAID TOOL COMPRISING A SET OF CLOSED END SOCKETS OF SAID EQUILATERAL SHAPED SLIDABLY NESTED ONE WITHIN THE OTHER, EACH SOCKET BEING FOR A PARTICULAR ONE OF SAID DIFFERENT SIZES AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LONGER THAN ANY SOCKET SLIDABLE WITHIN IT, A TOOL HOLDING MEMBER TO WHICH THE CLOSED END OF THE OUTERMOST SOCKET IS ANCHORED, A STEM ROTATABLE IN SAID MEMBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE CLOSED ENDS OF THE OTHER SOCKETS IN SLIDABLE SUPPORT THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF SEATS SPACED LENGTHWISE OF SAID STEM, ONE FOR EACH SOCKET AND ENGAGEABLE BY THE END WALL THEREOF TO LIMIT ITS MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE FREE END OF SAID ANCHORED SOCKET, COMPRESSION SPRINGS, ONE FOR EACH SOCKET FOR YIELDABLY MAINTAINING EACH SOCKET AGAINST IT SEAT, EACH SPRING ENGAGING THE CLOSED END OF THAT SOCKET AND BACKED BY THE SEAT OF THE NEXT LARGER SOCKET, THE DIFFERENCE IN LENGTH OF SAID SOCKETS BEING SUCH THAT THE FREE ENDS OF SAID SLIDABLE SOCKETS, WHEN SEATED, ARE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE FREE END OF THE ANCHORED SOCKET, AND SAID STEM AND EACH OF SAID 